INTERNATIONAL VIOLA MASTERS COMPETITION
The IX International Viola Masters Competition under the direction of Yuri Bashmet, Hero of Labor of the Russian Federation and People’s Artist of the USSR, was held in Moscow from 8 to 18 November 2023.
Twenty-five outstanding violists from six countries took part in the competition. The jury was comprised of prominent musicians, including Honored Artist of the Russian Federation Roman Balashov; People’s Artist of the Russian Federation, composer Alexander Tchaikovsky; People’s Artist of the Russian Federation Alexander Bonduryansky; Associate Professor of the Belarusian State Academy of Music Lucia Lastovka (Belarus); Associate Professor of the Tashkent State Conservatory Dmitry Ovchinnikov (Uzbekistan); Associate Professor of the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory Nurlan Sagimbaev (Kazakhstan); composer Valery Voronov (Germany). The artistic director and founder of the competition and chair of its jury is Maestro Yuri Bashmet.
«It is obvious to me that this is not the beginning, but the heyday on the path of the great viola that it treads with ease. Think about it: in Italian, “viola” is “viola,” “violin” is “little viola,” and “violoncello” means “big viola.” Even in the language, viola is the nucleus. Bach, Mozart, and Paganini played the viola; they wrote music for it. I once organized an experimental department at the conservatory to create a superman violist and a superwoman violist. This competition is the follow-up and the result of that idea, », – says Maestro Bashmet.
The only viola competition in Russia, entitled “Viola Masters,” was first held in 1993. It was founded by Maestro Bashmet with the aim of maintaining the best traditions of Russian musical culture and performing art, as well as supporting and encouraging talented young violists from different countries. Over the years, the competition has become an important event in the lives of Russian and world musicians.
Eight participants became laureates of the IX International Viola Masters Competition; another eleven participants were awarded with special diplomas and prizes.
The first prize of the competition went to Lyubov Lazareva (Russia); the second prize was given to Arseniy Zakharov (Russia). The third place of the competition was shared by Yuri Yun (South Korea), Ilya Tarasenko (Russia), and Antonina Popras (Russia). The fourth prize was shared by Darya Barlybaeva (Kazakhstan) and Guzal Sultanova (Uzbekistan). The fifth prize was awarded to Zhang Kailin (China).
The competition diplomas were given to Ni Xianghe (China), Vitalia Mokshina (Russia), and Maria Radzetskaya (Russia).
The jury awarded a special diploma for the best ensemble to the trio of Vitalia Mokshina, Matvey Sobolev, and Sofia Skladannaya (Russia). The “Best Illustrator” prize was given to Ksenia Bashmet (piano), Andrey Poskrobko (violin), and Alexey Naidenov (cello).
The prize for the best performance of the required routine piece, Valery Voronov’s “Artemis,” was awarded to Lyubov Lazareva, and the prize for the best performance of Alfred Schnittke’s concerto went to Arseny Zakharov.
A special “Hope” diploma was given to the nineteen-year-old Margarita Postelnyak (Uzbekistan). The Bashmet Center Prize was awarded to Margarita Popras (Russia).
«Note that those who received the second, the third, or other prizes applaud the first prizewinners heartily. This is only possible at a viola competition,” says the founder and artistic director of the competition, Maestro Bashmet.
The award ceremony took place at Philharmonic-2. After the ceremonial announcement, the laureates took to the stage to perform works by Valery Voronov, Alexander Tchaikovsky, William Walton, Béla Bartók, and Alfred Schnittke. The concert featured the chamber ensemble “Soloists of Moscow” and the Novaya Rossiya State Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Alexei Rubin (Russia) and Freddy Cadena (Ecuador).
«This is the first and so far the only international viola competition. I think it is time for the viola to participate in the Tchaikovsky competition, which has already included flutes and French. Tchaikovsky has many important viola statements in terms of interpretation and meaning. I think that had he lived longer and, if I may be so bold, had we known each other, he would have definitely written a viola concerto», – says maestro Bashmet.